How to See Vancouver in a Day
If you’ve only got 24 hours to see Vancouver, you better get cracking!
Research is your friend, and this guide to what to do in a day in Vancouver will sort you right out. I’ve actually been to the city three times now – I know, lucky, lucky.
The west coast Canadian city with its mountains, coastline, indigenous history and epic food scene will definitely make you want to come back. But, let’s focus on what you have this time round: one day in Vancouver.
You’re going to need to stick to the centre, which means you’ll miss the likes of Grouse Mountain, but the fact the city is easily walkable means you’ll be able to pack in a fair few of the top Vancouver attractions.
Of course some things are weather dependent, but these would be my top recommendations to see Vancouver in a day.
8am: Walk around Stanley Park
Wherever you’re staying in the city, I’d get up as soon as it’s light and make your way to Stanley Park. The 405 hectares of parkland with towering trees lie right on the water with views of the mountains before giving way to beaches, lagoons and lakes.
You can dive straight in and get lost under the canopy of leaves or follow some of the seawall around the area.
Stanley Park is the perfect way to start your 1 day in Vancouver.
9am: Breakfast at Nelson the Seagull
After your morning walk, breakfast in arguably the coolest part of town, Gastown. Nelson the Seagull is just one among many trendy joints in this area but the coffee here is often talked about as the best. The menu is quite minimalistic but the eggs and avocado hit the spot to get you the energy for your 1 day in Vancouver.
10am: Wander around Gastown
This is kind of a cool neighbourhood so before you move on, take a walk along Water Street’s trendy boutiques, stopping for a picture with the Gassy Jack statue and checking out the Gastown steam clock. Time it right – somewhere between the hour and quarter past – and you’ll hear one of its bizarre sounding hourly whistles.